Bernard Mason OBE was a prominent Colchester

Colchester

Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...

 businessman and philanthropist who was born in Ipswich but lived his whole life in Colchester. He was the proprietor of Mason's printing firm from which he retired as director in 1962. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=21987

Mason began collecting Colchester-made clocks in 1927 and bequeathed the collection to the town, along with his home "Tymperleys" (the former mansion of Elizabeathan scientist Dr William Gilberd). http://www.brianloomes.com/collecting/smorthwaite/index.html Mason was a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers

Worshipful Company of Clockmakers

The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Clockmakers were formed by a Royal Charter in 1631. Originally, no person was allowed to sell clocks unless they were a member of the Company. However, such requirements have since been relaxed and later...

 and the author of "Clock and Watchmaking in Colchester" (1969) which originally cost four guineas (£4 4s 0d £4.20). He was made an OBE in 1959. Mason claimed that there are 375 examples known of Colchester clocks and Mason managed to collect 216 of them in his lifetime travelling far and wide to bring them back “home”.

Tymperleys currently houses the Mason Collection as part of the Colchester Clock Museum. The collection comprises 203 clocks and 14 watches made in Colchester from the 17th century to 19th century. http://www.cornucopia.org.uk/html/search/verb/GetRecord/7268 Significant items include a lantern clock

Lantern clock

A lantern clock is a type of antique weight-driven wall clock, shaped like a lantern. They were the first type of clock widely used in private homes. They probably originated before 1500 but only became common after 1600; in Britain around 1620. They became obsolete in the 19th century.- Origin...

 from 1645 by William Bacon, and
a mantel clock

Mantel clock

Mantel clocks — or shelf clocks — are relatively small house clocks traditionally placed on the shelf, or mantel, above the fireplace. The form, first developed in France in the 1750s, can be distinguished from earlier chamber clocks of similar size due to a lack of carrying handles.These clocks...

 from 1725 by Nathaniel Hedge

Nathaniel Hedge

Nathaniel Hedge was an English clockmaker based in Colchester in Essex.Hedge was apprenticed to the Colchester clockmaker John Smorthwaite in 1728 and married Smorthwaite's daughter Sarah in 1733. Hedge went on to become a prosperous and highly-respected clockmaker. Examples of Hedge's work can be...

. http://www.colchestermuseums.org.uk/tymp_html/Tymp_topten.html

Bernard Mason was in charge or the air raid warnings throughout the Colchester district during WWII.

Mason's younger brother Eudo Colecestra Mason (1901–69) was a scholar of German literature.